It is known for purposes of testing the technical performance of large caliber gun barrels to, for example, control the breech movement and the loading movement of the weapon by pulling slowly backward those parts of the gun barrel which, at firing, recoil and counter-recoil. Such pulling backwards is done with the aid of chains or cables and is carried out slowly and then, by mechanically releasing the chains or cables by way of a ratchet mechanisms, a rapid counter-recoil velocity of the gun barrel which corresponds to that at firing is effected. In addition to the danger that occurs due to the sudden release of the chain or cable at ratchet release it is difficult to install the chain or cable pulling mechanism in a compact recoil chamber, in particular in such a chamber in an armored howitzer. Moreover, it is not possible with chain or cable pulling devices to effect a slow, respectively a rapidly variable recoil movement. Above all other considerations it must be recognized that for checking and adjusting the breech function and the loading mechanism, which is disposed at the rear end of the gun barrel, the recoil and counter-recoil movement of a large caliber gun barrel cannot be interrupted, in particular not at maximum counter-recoil velocity when a so-called "cold firing" occurs.